content/05/06.md
---
pagetitle: What is justification?
date: February 19, 2020
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this_date: May 6
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---
#### Shorter Catechism
<span class="q">Q 33.</span> What is justification?
<span class="q">A.</span> Justification is an act of God's free grace,[^fnref:wsc1] wherein he pardoneth all our sins,[^fnref:wsc2] and accepteth us as righteous in his sight,[^fnref:wsc3] only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us,[^fnref:wsc4] and received by faith alone.[^fnref:wsc5]
[^fnref:wsc1]: <div class="esv"><h5>Romans 3:24</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45003024.01-1">and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc2]: <div class="esv"><h5>Romans 4:6-8</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45004006.01-1">just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:</p> <div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p45004007.01-1">“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>and whose sins are covered;<br /> blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”</p> </div> </div><h5>2 Corinthians 5:19</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p47005019.01-2">that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc3]: <div class="esv"><h5>2 Corinthians 5:21</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p47005021.01-1">For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc4]: <div class="esv"><h5>Romans 4:6</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45004006.01-1">just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:</p> </div><h5>Romans 4:11</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45004011.01-2">He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,</p> </div><h5>Romans 5:19</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45005019.01-3">For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc5]: <div class="esv"><h5>Galatians 2:16</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p48002016.01-1">yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.</p> </div><h5>Philippians 3:9</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p50003009.01-2">and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
#### Larger Catechism
<span class="q">Q 70.</span> What is justification?
<span class="q">A.</span> Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners,[^fnref:wlc1] in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight;[^fnref:wlc2] not for anything wrought in them, or done by them,[^fnref:wlc3] but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them,[^fnref:wlc4] and received by faith alone.[^fnref:wlc5]
[^fnref:wlc1]: <div class="esv"><h5>Romans 3:22</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45003022.01-1">the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:</p> </div><h5>Romans 3:24-25</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45003024.01-2">and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.</p> </div><h5>Romans 4:5</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45004005.01-3">And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc2]: <div class="esv"><h5>Jeremiah 23:6</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p24023006.01-1">In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> is our righteousness.’</p> </div><h5>Romans 4:6-8</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45004006.01-2">just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:</p> <div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p45004007.01-2">“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>and whose sins are covered;<br /> blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”</p> </div> </div><h5>2 Corinthians 5:19</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p47005019.01-3">that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.</p> </div><h5>2 Corinthians 5:21</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p47005021.01-4">For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.</p> </div><h5>Romans 3:22</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45003022.01-5">the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:</p> </div><h5>Romans 3:24-25</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45003024.01-6">and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.</p> </div><h5>Romans 3:27-28</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45003027.01-7">Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc3]: <div class="esv"><h5>Titus 3:5</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p56003005.01-1">he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,</p> </div><h5>Titus 3:7</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p56003007.01-2">so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.</p> </div><h5>Ephesians 1:7</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p49001007.01-3">In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc4]: <div class="esv"><h5>Romans 4:6-8</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45004006.01-1">just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:</p> <div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p45004007.01-1">“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>and whose sins are covered;<br /> blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”</p> </div> </div><h5>Romans 4:11</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45004011.01-2">He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,</p> </div><h5>Romans 5:17-19</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p45005017.01-3">For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.</p> <p id="p45005018.01-3">Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc5]: <div class="esv"><h5>Acts 10:43</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p44010043.01-1">To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”</p> </div><h5>Galatians 2:16</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p48002016.01-2">yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.</p> </div><h5>Philippians 3:9</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p50003009.01-3">and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>